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Published: January 19th 2008
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My coach trip up from Brissy to Hervey Bay was relatively uneventful. I sat next to an asian lady and took the opportunity of perhaps making a new friend on the 8 hr journey. So i asked her where she was going. she gave me a concerned frown in response. so i asked again and suggested destination as an alternative word that she would understand. she now looked very worried, but i persevered asking her again the same question and offering her that I was going to hervey bay. she looked relieved and said that her job was...no no i said, where are you going? cairns?? oh she said the gold coast. right then, so somewhere along the east coast of australia, how vague is that? right, so no conversation with her then. she promptly fell asleep anyway and i later suggested she sit somewhere else when a few seats were made available, so that ended that budding relationship. there was also concern, as the coaches were not going any further than Mackay, which was fine for me now, but not gd if this situation did not change when i wanted to get to Airlie Beach in 4 days time.......positive thinking.
it will be alright....
So, I've just got back from paradise on earth aka fraser island. I went on a 3 day trip and it was well worth the extra day! My group were great and had an amazing time. It was just awesome. It is an island made of sand, which supports a unique and varied flora and fauna, which is difficult to believe. You walk in rainforest, to find a freshwater lake, supported by coffee rock, which is vegetation broken down over thousands of years, until it is no longer porous. So you swim in fresh water, over soft white sand, surrounded by forest and vegetation and blue skies. I was even lucky enough to share my swim with turtles and cat fish. Just magical. Lake McKenzie; Eli Creek; the coloured sands; Champagne pools, where the sea crashes against rocks and bubbles over and through the rocks into pools where you can swim; Indian head, which is the only area of actual rock; Lake Wabby where we went sand boarding which is awesome and very addictive; Lake Birrabeen, the list goes on and the photos really dont do it justice. And when you think you've seen everything,
you come across a sand blow hole. This is an area of desert....this is where sand is blown in and over the vegetation, killing it and everything in its path. However, the vegetation is fighting back and grows back after it, so the blow holes change in shape and size every day. There are 32 of these all over the island.
I had an opportunity to take a lite aircraft ride over the island, but the pilot needed 2 people minimum. Unbelievable that no-one else wanted to go and i had to forgo this opportunity. I was very disappointed. I comforted myself with the thought that I was going to do the same over the Nazca lines in Peru later this year and I was seeing Fraser island by foot. However, on the way back, we got a call through to say that some other people from another group wanted to go, so they dropped me off. I got chatting with the pilot, Kim and consequently ended up in the co-pilots seat!!!! I had the biggest grin on my face ever! Take off and landing were just breathtaking, as was the view of the island! If you get the chance
to go and do this...DO IT!!
We saw a carpet python which had just clearly eaten as it had a huge bulge in its stomach. WOW! Unfortunately I did not see a Dingo...apparently they were culled recently as A 9 yr old boy was attacked and eaten. a great shame.
So, i'm back in Hervey Bay and chilling waiting for my nite bus to Airlie Beach. it wil be 12 hours and so far no news is gd news to get there. the weather has been absolutely beautiful the last 3 days and today as well, so positive thinking is working! im off sailing and diving round the Whitsunday islands for 3 days; then head up to Ayr to dive the Yongola, a deep dive and regarded as one of the top 10 dive sites in the world, so cant wait. then head up to Cairns to do my 3 day advanced diving course. I've also done my laundry so have clean clothes to wear. Just thought I'd add that in, in case anyone was concerned for my hygiene and general welfare! I also found my watch, which i feared lost on fraser, next to be seen being sported by
large specimen!
26 people can fit around its circumference! a wild dingo, but was in my friends daypack afterall, so one thing less to purchase. thats all for now. I'm off to read in the sun/shade and have a spot of lunch by the hostel pool. It really is a hard life. 😉
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